2018 IndyCar Grand Prix
The 2018 IndyCar Grand Prix was held on May 12, 2018. It served as the fifth race of the 2018 IndyCar Series season. This is notably the first start of Hélio Castroneves in an IndyCar race since the 2017 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. Jirayu La-ongmanee returned to IndyCar after taking three races off following a knee injury. Drivers Pietro Fittipaldi was supposed to drive the no.19 entry from Dale Coyne Racing, but a sports-car crash ruled him out for eight weeks including the Indy 500, the IndyCar Grand Prix; but will still participate with a protected ranking in every Celebrity Family Feud draw until the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final. ;Chevrolet * Josef Newgarden * Simon Pagenaud * Will Power * Matheus Leist * Tony Kanaan * Max Chilton * Charlie Kimball * Jordan King * Spencer Pigot * Kyle Kaiser * Hélio Castroneves * Gabby Chaves ;Honda * Scott Dixon * Ed Jones * Zach Veach * Alexander Rossi * Ryan Hunter-Reay * Marco Andretti * Sébastien Bourdais * Zachary Claman DeMelo * James Hinchcliffe * Robert Wickens * Graham Rahal * Takuma Sato Pietro Fittipaldi was the original driver of the no.19 car. He had to sit out due to an injury in a sports car crash in Belgium. IndyCar Practice 1 Will Power topped the session, with Metagross 2nd and rookie Jordan King in 3rd. Rounding out the top five were Beartic, Apolo Anton Ohno and Jirayu La-ongmanee. Session results: Indy GP Practice 1 results Practice 2 Will Power once again showed how dominant can Power be during the weekend. It was reversed, with rookie Jordan King finishing 2nd and Metagross in third. The changes in the top five were Volcarona and Simon Pagenaud. Practice 2 results: Practice 2 results Qualifying Seeds Josef Newgarden (Qualified) Metagross (Fast 12) Beartic (Qualified) Graham Rahal (First round) James Hinchcliffe (Qualified) Ryan Hunter-Reay (First round) Scott Dixon (First round) Volcarona (Qualified) Pee Saderd (First round) Will Power (Pole Winner) Jonathan Bald (First round) Larvesta (Fast 12) Joey Fatone (First round) Jirayu La-ongmanee (Fast 12) Simon Pagenaud (Fast 12) Pidgeot (Fast 12) Mario Lopez (First round) Nidoking (First round) Ueli Kestenholz (First round) Chespin (First round) Jordan King (Qualified) Zachary Claman DeMelo (First round) Kyle Kaiser (First round) Hélio Castroneves (Fast 12) Group 1 Volcarona, James Hinchcliffe, Pidgeot, Jordan King, Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves qualified for Fast 12. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jonathan Bald, Graham Rahal, Zachary Claman DeMelo, Nidoking and Ueli Kestenholz failed to qualify for Fast 12. Group 2 Beartic, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Larvesta, Jirayu La-ongmanee, Apolo Anton Ohno and Metagross qualified for the Fast 12. Pee Saderd, Chespin, Scott Dixon, Joey Fatone, Mario Lopez and Kyle Kaiser failed to qualify for the Fast 12. Scott Dixon's first round exit in Indy GP qualifying became one of the shocks of the 2018 season. Despite being a favorite to make it to round 2, the Ukrainian didn't do it. Scott Dixon was supposed to qualify for Round 2 instead of La-ongmanee or Larvesta. Round 2 ;Group 1 *' Volcarona' *' James Hinchcliffe' * Pidgeot *' Jordan King' *' Josef Newgarden' * Hélio Castroneves ;Group 2 *' Beartic' *' Will Power' * Simon Pagenaud * Larvesta * Jirayu La-ongmanee * Apolo Anton Ohno * Metagross Volcarona, Jordan King, Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Beartic and Josef Newgarden advanced to the Fast Six. Simon Pagenaud, Metagross, Pidgeot, Helio Castroneves, Jirayu La-ongmanee, Apolo Anton Ohno and Larvesta failed to qualify for the Fast Six. Fast 6 * Volcarona * Jordan King *' Will Power' * James Hinchcliffe * Beartic * Josef Newgarden Will Power won the pole, and his first of the 2018 season. He notably sat behind Russian veteran Pee Saderd in the points standings that time. Final Practice This was notably the only time this weekend a driver other than Will Power topped the session, as it ended up with Scott Dixon topping the last practice before the green flag. Will Power ended 2nd, Ryan Hunter-Reay 3rd, Jordan King 4th, and Chespin rounded the top five. The session was extended by five minutes due to smoke from Russian veteran Pee Saderd's engine (Saderd's engine also smoked at the 2017 SKUSA Supernationals and Saderd was eventually defeated by Newgarden). Saderd only did two laps and finished 24th, looking like his appearance in Kelly Clarkson vs. Amy Schumer and Bindi Irwin vs. Chrissy Metz. Final Practice results: Practice 3/Final Practice Results Starting Grid Jirayu La-ongmanee qualified 11th in the no.30 car. Apolo Anton Ohno also drives in it. Race Will Power led the opening lap, but a caution came out on lap 1 because of a spin involving rookie Jordan King and Simon Pagenaud. However, IndyCar warned Pidgeot for avoidable contact and was assessed a drive-through penalty. When Power pitted, Beartic took the lead for one lap and pitted shortly, and then Josef Newgarden took the lead and also pitted. The lead then belonged to Metagross. Metagross led for only two laps with Kyle Kaiser leading his first IndyCar lap ever in his career. With Kaiser pitting, Volcarona took the lead and lasted until lap 41. Will Power then passed Volcarona on lap 41, but Graham Rahal took the lead after Will Power had to pit for fuel. Rahal entered on lap 46, and Volcarona re-took the lead. The last 50 laps of the race was then led by Power. Trivia Category:2018 in motorsport Category:2018 in the United States